Concertgoers Furious As Toronto-Area Music Festivals Fall Apart

By David Friend, The Canadian Press. Published: 8 Aug 2022 1:38 PM

Carnival goers dance at the main stage at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, Friday, June 24, 2011. Organizers of an Ontario electronic music festival Ever After say ticket holders should "plan accordingly" after the township declined to allow the event to move forward. — THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Julie Jacobson

TORONTO — Two Ontario music festivals spiralled into disarray over the weekend, leaving concertgoers fuming and calling for refunds.

Ticket holders for the two-day Kultureland Festival learned on Sunday that the organizers moved the show from its original venue at Markham Fairgrounds to the Ajax Downs Racetrack — a 1/2-hour drive away.

The announcement was made via social media less than an hour before showtime.

Then, several artists on the Kultureland lineup dropped out of the R&B and Afro-fusion music festival without advance notice, including headliner Jhene Aiko. Kultureland representatives were not available for comment.

Meanwhile, attendees at Kingston Music Festival in North York, Ont. posted videos of concertgoers rushing toward the stage after pushing down the fence separating general admission and VIP sections.

Later, Jamaican musician Popcaan used his headlining set to criticize event organizers.

Representatives for Kingston Music Festival did not respond to requests for comment.

Ticket holders for both festivals took to social media to vent their complaints from the event grounds. Many of them demanded a refund and an explanation from organizers.